-0.20(-1.17%)

-0.01(-0.71%)

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – April 3, 2013 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Apollo Global Management, LLC (APO) as the Bull of the Day and Agnico-Eagle Mines (AEM) as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ISIS), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi (SNY).

Ready to plunk down some money with a private equity firm? If you are an accredited high net worth investor with at least $1 million to risk with the firm on whatever their latest deal is, you have many quality outfits to choose from.

But if you're not in "the 1%," there is another path. Many private equity (:PE) firms are also public companies, including Blackstone Group and the infamous KKR. As an industry group, together with traditional investment management firms like BlackRock and Franklin Resources, the PE "alternative" asset managers currently rank in the top 10% of Zacks Industries.

Today we are going to focus on Apollo Global Management, LLC (APO), a $3 billion company which grew its total assets under management (:AUM) in 2012 from $75 billion to $113 billion.

Apollo operates in three business segments: private equity, capital markets and real estate. It raises, invests and manages funds on behalf of pension and endowment funds, as well as other institutional and individual investors.

After a rough year following its March 2011 IPO, the firm started firing on all rockets, boosting fourth-quarter GAAP earnings an astronomical 1,564% higher than a year earlier. And this represented a 120% surprise over analyst expectations.

As long as the price of gold continues to drift lower, it seems earnings expectations for miners of the yellow metal are following its decline. And in the high-risk metal mining industry, costs can quickly escalate too.

This week, Agnico-Eagle Mines (AEM ) dropped to a Zacks #5 Rank as analyst 2013 EPS estimates have fallen from $2.44 to $2.04 in the past 60 days. And downward revisions have taken the full-year 2014 down to $2.36 from $2.80.

Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited is a Toronto-based gold producer with operations in Canada, Finland and Mexico. The company's LaRonde mine in Quebec is one of Canada s largest operating gold mines by gold reserves and has provided the company s foundation for domestic and international expansion.

The company missed expectations in fourth-quarter 2012 with both revenues and adjusted earnings falling short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ISIS) recently published encouraging new data in the journal Circulation Research related to antisense technology. It was found that antisense targeting of apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III) showed significant decline in apoC-III and triglycerides. Both apoC-III and triglycerides are risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases.

Isis Pharma currently has an antisense apoC-III inhibitor, ISIS-APOCIII, in its pipeline. ISIS-APOCIII is being evaluated in a phase II study for the treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia. Top-line data from the study are expected to be released in mid-2013. On completion of the phase II study the company plans to initiate phase III study on the candidate.

We are impressed by the development of antisense technology and believe that the number of potential therapeutic applications is enormous. Antisense drugs may have significant potential to treat a number of diseases where small molecules and biologic compounds have failed. Although still in its early stage, antisense technology with mechanisms such as small interfering RNA (siRNA), RNA interference (RNAi), alternate splicing, and microRNA (mRNA) have the potential to change how diseases are treated.

Earlier this year, Isis Pharma received a $7.5 million milestone payment from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The payment primarily relates to the initiation of a phase II/III clinical study of ISIS-TTRRx. The study will span 15 months enrolling 200 patients. Isis is developing ISIS-TTRRx in collaboration with Glaxo for the potential treatment of transthyretin (:TTR) amyloidosis.

We note that Isis Pharma’s lead product, Kynamro (mipomersen sodium), received FDA approval in Jan 2013 for the treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia (:FH). Isis Pharma’s partner Sanofi (SNY) is marketing the product in the US. Sanofi is also looking to get the drug approved in the rest of the world including Europe.

Every day, the analysts at Zacks Equity Research select two stocks that are likely to outperform (Bull) or underperform (Bear) the markets over the next 3-6 months.

About the Analyst Blog

Updated throughout every trading day, the Analyst Blog provides analysis from Zacks Equity Research about the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous analyst coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD from MIT Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment

Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=4582.

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.